Gun-barrel cleaner



1 25. 1.555 469 sePtzg c. coTTA GUN BARREL CLEANER Filed March 21, 1923 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHARLES GOTTA, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

GUN-BARREL CLEANER.

Application filed March 21, 1923. Serial No. 626,504.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CIIARLES Corrii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of \Vinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Barrel Cleaners, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to devices for cleaning the barrels of guns, rifles and other firearms, and the primary object is to provide an improved cleaning means for removing the smoke and powder residue from the bore of a barrel, leaving a smooth uniformly clean surface. i

I have also aimed to provide a cleaning means for this purpose which may be produced at a comparatively low cost and is simple and easy to operate.

In furtherance of the foregoing, I have provided a gun barrel cleaner comprising a rod and a cleaning element preferably in the form of a cord, spirally wound tautly directly on the peripheral surface of the rod and secured at its ends within the body thereof against pulling out. A gun barrel cleaner of this kind is inexpensive and the cleaning element may be readily and frequently changed as is required for keeping the bore of the barrel in the best condition. This cleaner while having continuous spiral contact with the barrel surface, presents at any side thereof a series of spaced cleaning faces, the first of which remove and collect therebetween the smoke and powder residue without acting as an abrasive, and the fol lowing cleaning surfaces function to give a finish to the barrel surface. The cleaner possesses uniformity and permanency of size, thereby enabling predetermined frictional resistance throughout the bore, and eliminates uneven, irregular cleaning which often results from the use of loose cleaning elements, or any which may slip on the rod or do not engage the barrel uniformly throughout.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a gun barrel cleaner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View of the cleaning portion of the rod, partly in section, showing the cleaning cord unwound;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section, showing a modified form of means for fastening the outer end of the cord to the rod; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

My improved cleaner in its preferred embodiment, comprises a rod 5 and a cleaning element 6, both designated generally. The rod, except for the cleaning portion 7 between the end 8 and an intermediate point 9, may be of any suitable size and shape. At present the rod is shown in one piece with one end shaped to provide a handle 11. In practice, it is sometimes preferred to make rods of this general character in sections so that they may be more conveniently handled and packed, and the same may be done in the present instance.

The cleaning portion 7 should, however, be of uniform diameter throughout its length and have an uninterrupted peripheral surface. Its diameter together with that of the cleaning element should bear a given relation to the diameter of the barrel bore to be cleaned, as will be presently observed.

The cleaning element is preferably in the form of a cord, such for example as a firmly twisted cotton cord commonly used for bind- .ing packages. This cord being of uniform diameter, absorbent, and firm but slightly compressible, is especially well suited to my invention. The cord will be wound spirally on the cleaning portion 7 of the rod in the manner shown on Fig. 1, and the ends will be secured and held within the body of the rod as will be presently more fully described. The cord should be wound tautly at a relatively steep pitch so that there will be no tendency to slip or shift lengthwise when under pressure.

The means for securing the ends of the cord to the rod will now be described. As shown on Fig. 2, a hole 12 formed transversely through the rod at the inner end of the cleaning portion 7, has a diametrical restriction, at present formed by making one end 13 of smaller diameter. A knot 14 is tied on an end of the cord and in applying the latter it will be drawn through the transverse hole so as to emanate from the restricted end, leaving the cord lodged in the larger end of the hole and held from pulling through the smaller end. In the opposit end of the rod portion 7 is formed a slot 15 converging inwardly as shown in Fig. 1.

it will be manifest from the foregoing that after passing the cord through the hole and drawing the knot thereinto, the cord may be wound tightly on the red as described above, until the slot 15 is reached. The free end will then be drawn into said slot in wedging engagement and the protruding end cut oli. This leaves both ends securely held within the rod body so that they will not pull out. Inasmuch as the cord at no point overlaps upon itself and the ends are confined within the rod body, it follows that the cleaning element is of uniform diameter from end to end. Vith a given diameter of rod and cord for a barrel of given gage, the cleaner will lit snugly in the bore, with the cord under snfiicient compression to secure an etlective cleaning action. In practice, a few drops of oil or other solvent may be placed on the cleaner for loosening rust or any powder residue adhered to the barrel surface. By reason of the relatively small but continuous cleaning surfaces presented, the cleaning element may be caused to fit tightly under considerable pressure so as to not only clean the internal surface of the bore proper but to also enter and clean the ri fling. The relatively long spiral turns prevent slipping and loosening of the cord which might otherwise be occasioned if a greater number of turns were made per inch. By winding the cord on an uninterrupted peripheral surface of the rod there no possibility of the cord being cut", as it might it pre sed or crowded against an abrupt or projecting edge on the rod, and especially if the cord were so wound on the rod as to permit of loosening and shifting. A cord of this kind being inexpensive and easily obtained may be changed frequently, thus insuring with proper use that the barrel will be kept in the best of condition.

On Figs. 3 and at, I have shown a modified form of means for securing the outer end of the cord to the rod. In this instance, I drill transverse and longitudinal holes 16 and 17 in the end 8 of the rod so as to intersect as shown. The hole 17 is threaded for the reception of a screw 18, the head of which is not larger in diameter than the rod. The free end of the cord will upon completion of the winding be drawn tightly through the hole 16 and then secured therein by tightening the screw 18. The protruding end will be cut off rather close to the rod. It will thus be seen that my invention contemplates the use of iastening means similar or equivalent to those disclosed herein for operatively securing both ends of the cord within the body of the rod and with the cord tightly wound thereon and at no point overlapping or bulging.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects preifaced above, and it should be understood that in practice changes might be made in the material used forthe cleaning element and in the means for securing the ends thereof to the rod, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended clain'i.

'I. claim:

A gun barrel cleaner con'iprising a rod having a cleaning portion, a transverse hole restricted in cross section and a transverseslot in the terminal end of said cleaning portion converging inwardly thereof, and a cleaning element enlarged at one end pa ing through said hole and emanating from the restricted end thereof so that said enlargement will be confined and held within said hole said cleaning element being spirally wound on said cleaning portion and its opposite end being drawn in wedging engagement into said slot and thereby held from drawing out.

CHAR-LES COTTA. 

